A/N: Hey people, this is my first attempt at Naruto fanfic. I hope you guys like it. Please read and tell me what you think. Thanks!

Uzumaki Naruto, sixteen years old, and a Chuunin level ninja of Konoha. Having recently retuned after three years to Konoha after much training with the legendary Sanin Jiraiya, he had been welcomed back by his fellow ninja, and found himself back doing the duties a ninja of Konoha would do. Yet at this moment, he was not enjoying himself.

"Argh! This stupid D-Rank mission is so stupid" Naruto exclaimed for what must have been the hundredth time.

"Well if you didn't decide to play that stupid prank on Hokage-sama, we wouldn't be doing this" Shikamaru replied in his usual manner of boredom.

Having reached Chuunin level, Naruto found himself in a new group form the one he was when he trained with Kakashi. His new members being Shikamaru –group leader- Ten-Ten, Kiba, and himself. When Naruto had seen them again after three years, they had changed quite a bit. Shikamaru was still thin and strong, yet he was much taller, and seemed to have lost some of his constant expression of having something bad-smelling held under his nose. Ten-Ten still had those two balls of hair on her, yet she had grown to become prettier than Naruto remembered, which surprised him, considering he never thought of a girl in such a way -must be the hormones, damn things- Kiba like the others was taller, but surprisingly shorter than Naruto -Naruto had grown quite a bit, and was no longer the shortest of his ninja friends- but with a much heavier build and Akamaru too had grown.

His entire group had grown in many ways other than physically. Shikamaru not as lazy, though still enough to put Naruto off. He was changed now, a bit more on his toes one could say, he heard it was because Temari and Ino were both trying to attract him, and both were quite firm with him. Ten-Ten hadn't changed much really, she still had those flashes of anger, yet she was caring too. Much more since she started going out with Neji. He never would have guessed that the Hyuuga would have allowed some-one to get so close to him. Lastly Kiba was well Kiba really since he thought about it….he was still like him old-self, much like Naruto still was; still loud, a prankster and full of confidence.

Coming back from his small thoughts, Naruto realised just what he was doing. His 'mission' was to go around every house that had a garden, and weed them. A Chuunin weeding a garden! That was such an embarrassment. Not being able to take anymore, Naruto decided to do something about this, to speed up the process, so they could finally go train as they were allowed.

"Right that's it. I have an idea guys" Naruto addressed the group.

"Great" Shikamaru said sarcastically, "Please tell us before you do it. It would make things easier"

"Right. Ten-Ten I want you to use your shiny pointy weapons to cut up all the weeds. I know you can cut all of them at once, so you should do this bit. Then I need you…Shikamaru and Kiba to use a Fuuton Jutsu to blow up all the cut weeds into the. Then finally once they are in the air, I'll use a Katon Jutsu to just burn all the weeds in mid-air. Well what do you think?" A proud Naruto finished looking at his team.

"Well…there is one problem" Shikamaru began.

"What? WHAT?" Naruto exclaimed.

"Let me speak. If we do as you suggest we still haven't killed the weed's roots"

"And? Do you want to do this all day? Let some Genin do this when they grow back."

"Tch. How troublesome….Hokage-sama won't be pleased if she finds out"

"Aaaa. Stop worrying. I'm sure neither me nor you want to do this all day" Naruto told him in protest.

"You know, I think Naruto may have a good idea for once. I just want to get this over with" Kiba put in, with Akamaru barking in approval.

"Hai. I also want to do things" Ten-Ten added, "I promised I would meet Neji" she finished, blushing furiously.

"Tch, fine" Shikamaru said, giving in to their words.

Taking their places around the garden, Shikamaru looked around and then nodded for them to begin. In one quick movement, Ten-Ten had realised a whole sortie of sharp projectiles, which cut up only the weeds with her amazing accuracy. NO soon though, Kiba and Shikamaru quickly performed some hand seals and blew a powerful wind that threw up all the leaves in a group above the garden. In a flash Naruto performed some hand seals for the Katon Ryuuka no Jutsu, blowing forth a spray of flame from this mouth that burned the weeds in one blast.

As the fire from the Jutsu dissipated, Naruto couldn't help but grin. His plan worked. The others just shook their heads; they knew his head just swelled a bit bigger.

"Now, we have some free time, where I can eat my Ramen and train." Naruto stated, grinning like a fool.

"Yea, yea…how troublesome this is. Anyway remember to meet outside Hokage-sama's office at eight for the meeting" Shikamaru informed them. After that, they made their own way into town, with Naruto heading towards his favourite Ramen shop.

Walking down the street, Naruto could hear a familiar voice. It sounded like Sakura. She sounded like she was telling some-one something.

"Look. All you have to do is ask him. Draw him aside, or somewhere nobody is if you are feeling shy" Sakura's voice came, and was soon followed by the rest of her as he turned the corner to face another of the Chuunin groups. The small force consisted of Shino, Sakura, Hinata and some new guy that apparently became a Chuunin whilst Naruto was away. Naruto himself only became a Chuunin two weeks back, since he could not do the test when the others did.

"Hey!" Naruto greeted them.

"N-Naruto?" Sakura said a bit surprised, but quickly regained composure, "Hey Baka".

"Sup" came the other greeting from Shino and the new guy.

"H-Hello, N-Naruto-kun" came the greeting from Hinata, who seemed a bit nervous, and went slightly red in the cheeks, which obviously confused him.

He watched as Sakura then shoo-ed Hinata in his direction, whispering something to her. Slowly Hinata came to stand in front of him.

"N-Naruto-kun, I…err...want to ask you something" she asked shakily, and her cheeks growing redder.

"Sure Hinata. What is it?" he replied, a bit curious.

"Well…erm…do you mind if I asked…err…when there are…err…in private?" she answered going even redder in the cheeks.

"Err…yea ok." He replied, his curiosity growing.

He walked slowly with Hinata, glancing at her. Even he could see, she was very nervous. He wondered what was bothering her. He liked her, she was polite, kind and caring. He liked her, because she showed courage where it was hardest for her, taking his advice, and never giving up just like he does. But most importantly, she had believed in him where no-one else would, and that was what he liked most about her.

Eventually they came to a small area near Hokage faces carved into the mountain, where they stopped. Hinata then looked before turning to face him.

"N-Naruto-kun…erm…err" she began shakily.

"Yes Hinata" he asked, his curiosity high now.

"Well….err…well" she began again, but she quickly took a hold of herself, and spilt-out what she wanted to ask.

"Would you like to go out on a date with me" she asked in a rush.

At first Naruto was stunned, as he just looked at her. He looked at her, and saw how she had changed. She was taller now, her hair grown long and beautiful now. Her features much more feminine, and shamed as he was to have noticed, she had grown a generous bosom to maybe even rival Sakura's or Ino's, and he found himself finding her very attractive and cute now. His fondness for her growing stronger for some reason.

"Err…" he began at first, not quite knowing what to say.

Hinata looked a bit dejected, with her eyes cast down, "If you don't…"

"No. I would love to go on a date with you" he replied, not liking to see Hinata unhappy. Her face immediately brightened to his words.

"You quite cute, I would very much like to go on a date. Hinata-chan" he said, feeling good to see her smiling.

Unable to control herself, she flung her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. Naruto was surprised at first, but soon he smiled, as he hugged her back. He had no idea why he agreed he felt son good to hold her, most likely his hormones he thought. But she was pretty cute he added with an after-thought.

Unwrapping her hands from around him. She asked him if he would like to go to tomorrow's festival with her, which he gladly agreed to. Taking her back to her friends, he saw she was no longer nervous, and her face lit light the sun. Waving to her as he left her with an excited Sakura asking question, he went to go get his Ramen.

The day seemed to have been bad for him, with that D-Rank mission, but all of a sudden, Naruto felt it was a whole lot better.

Shikamaru walked lazily up to his favourite cloud watching hill, where he lay in the grass, watching the clouds go past lazily, without a care.

"Hey" came a voice from behind him, and soon two blue eyes stared at him.

"Hey" he replied, as the girl he recognised as Ino lay down beside him looking at the clouds.

"You know there's a festival tomorrow" she said in a light voice.

"Uh-huh" he replied slowly.

"And you know there will be a lot of dances, with a lot of people taking dates" she added

"Yes..and?" he said carefully, seeing where this was going.

"Well, if you haven't already guessed, I would like for you to take me to the festival as your date" she told him, now looking at him.

Her words stopped him staring. He was in for it now. Not only did Ino want him to take her to the festival, he knew Temari would expect it as well. This was not good…how could both of them like him…he wasn't particularly good looking for one, or very social for another. Thinking quickly he wondered, how would be the best way to get out of this before he agreed to anything, which would mean he could assume that Temari would most likely flay him alive.

"Err…Look what's that over there?" he pointed, thinking what a stupid distraction it was. He was in for it now….

"Huh?" Ino said, looking to where he was pointing.

As soon as her head was turned, he jumped up, and ran for his life down the hill to his home. He was in it now. This was not good….

Just to confirm his words, "SHIKAMARU" Ino screamed, "WHEN I FIND YOU. I'M GOING TO BEAT YOU TO A PULP" she screamed at him.

Oh God! Why did it have to be him? He continued to run, and soon he found himself outside his house, where he threw himself through the door, and locked himself in his room.

Trying to let his breath calm, he never liked to be rushed into things. Girls were so troublesome, but he knew now, he was in something more than just troublesome. Trying to think of how he could please both Ino and Temari, he quailed at the idea of them both storming into his room.

Oh what could he do? This was much too troublesome, and he was too young to die. At sixteen he had excelled quite far in his ninja ways, but he was also introduced to many things, one being how troublesome girls were. He really could not understand what Temari and Ino saw in him. He was a lazy bum, with no looks, and an unsociable character. Yet he still managed to get into hot water. This most likely only the beginning of his problems.

Ten-Ten made her way to the only place she was certain she would find Neji. She was rather anxious, because Neji never asked her anything but to train, but this time he said he wanted to ask her something.

Ten-Ten was a young girl of sixteen. She was now an attractive girl, with quite feminine features. Yet she was not like Sakura or Ino. She liked to train, especially with Neji. She was a master with ninja weapons, and quite aggressive at times. Yet something had changed, since Naruto had come back. She was not as much unlike Sakura and Ino as she thought, because she liked to be complimented, especially by Neji. Over the years she had grown close to him, and he to her, even thought he never showed it. She still had her hair tied in two balls on her head, and she was now Chuunin, along with many of her fellow ninja friends.

Yet right now, she was tense, what did Neji want? With the festival coming up tomorrow, could he possibly have come out of his little world of training to ask her out? Her heart thumped in anticipation.

Entering the little clearing Neji used for a training area, she saw Neji sitting on a log.

"Neji" she called out, then making her way to sit down next to him. He looked at her with his piercing white eyes. She remembered a time when she was scared witless by his stare, but she soon grew to like them, they were Neji's.

"Ten-Ten" he began, which set her heart jumping. He never started anything with her name, "I would like for you to accompany me to the festival tomorrow" he told her.

"Are you asking me out Hyuuga Neji" she said, trying to keep her voice calm.

"Err.." Neji was never one lost for words, "Yes. I like you a lot Ten-Ten, and I want to take you to the festival tomorrow".

Ten-Ten smiled at this. Finally Neji had told her what she had wanted to hear for a long time.

"I will go with you Neji" she told him, smiling. White eyes regarded her, and small and extremely rare smile graced his face. She turned away, blushing quite red. Suddenly she felt something brush her cheek. Did Neji kiss her? Her heart raced like wildfire.

"I'll pick you up at seven tomorrow. Ten-Ten" he told her, and with that left her staring after him. She couldn't stop smiling. Suddenly a thought hit her. What should she wear. She was never very good with clothes. She would have to ask Sakura to help her. Getting up, she rushed into town in search of Sakura.

Whilst the goings on in the village went on as usual. Tsunade was in deep conversation with Jiraiya.

"This letter…you realise who is behind this?" she asked the white haired man.

"Hai. Akatsuki" he responded.

"Hmm…it seems that they won't stop till they have who they want. Especially 'him'" she said, thinking of the boy whose fate was sealed within him.

"There is no other way to avoid more innocent killings Tsunade" Jiraiya told her, "We will have to hold this 'competition' between the countries" he added.

"Yes…I'll have letters sent. I'll also call up a meeting with ANBU and the Jounins to discuss what to do"

The two fell silent, as Tsunade called in Shizune to deliver some messages and set-up a meeting. Things were not going well…Konoha was in for yet another horrific surprise.

A/N: Hey that's the first chapters. Please tell me what you think. Thanks!